Serves 14
2880 min
Traditional Chinese Moon Cake (Yuebing)
Recipe GLPR874e63cd2f3172
A traditional Chinese moon cake featuring a tender, enriched dough shell with a golden syrup base, filled with smooth red bean paste and a silky salted egg yolk center. These beautiful festive treats develop their signature soft texture after a day or two of rest. Hand-shaped and brushed with egg wash, they bake to a delicate golden brown with an ornate surface pattern.
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Ingredients
300 g castor sugar
180 ml water
40 ml fresh lemon juice
30 g vegetable oil
3 g dietary alkali (potassium carbonate or sodium bicarbonate) mixed with water at a 1:4 ratio
150 g plain flour
350 g red bean paste
6 salted egg yolks, soaked in vegetable oil for at least 30 minutes and drained
1 tablespoon egg white
1 egg yolk for brushing
Directions
In a large pot, combine castor sugar and water. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves completely.
Add fresh lemon juice and return to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer gently for 40 minutes, until the syrup turns a light golden color. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely. Store the cooled syrup in an airtight container until needed.
Prepare the alkaline water by mixing the dietary alkali with clean water at a 1:4 ratio (approximately 3g of alkali to 12ml of water), stirring well to dissolve.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled golden syrup with vegetable oil and alkaline water. Mix well to blend.
Sift the plain flour into the wet mixture. Stir until combined, then knead by hand until you form a smooth dough ball. Wrap tightly with plastic film and refrigerate for 1 hour.
While the dough rests, prepare the salted egg yolks: soak them in vegetable oil for at least 30 minutes to mellow the raw taste, then drain well on paper towels.
Divide the chilled dough into 14 equal portions. Divide the red bean paste into 14 equal portions. Each portion of paste should weigh approximately 25g.
Assemble the filling: wrap each salted egg yolk with a portion of red bean paste, rolling and sealing to form a smooth ball. Set aside. (You will have 6 filled balls and 8 paste-only balls, or adjust the filling distribution as preferred.)
Take one dough portion and flatten it into a thin round disc. Place a filled or paste-only ball in the center. Gently pull the dough up and around the filling, sealing it closed by pinching the edges together.
Lightly dust the sealed ball and your moon cake mold with plain flour. Place the ball into the mold, press gently with the handle, and slowly remove the mold to reveal the decorated cake. Repeat with remaining dough and fillings.
Prepare the egg wash: whisk together 1 egg white and 1 egg yolk. Preheat the oven to 180°C (356°F).
Bake the moon cakes for 5 to 10 minutes until they set slightly. Remove from the oven and carefully brush each cake with a thin, even layer of egg wash, removing excess liquid from the brush to avoid drowning the pattern.
Return to the oven and bake for an additional 15 minutes until the surface turns a light golden brown.
Transfer the baked moon cakes to a cooling rack and allow them to cool completely.
Once cooled, place the moon cakes in an airtight container lined with parchment paper. Cover and let rest at room temperature for 1 to 2 days before serving; this allows the cakes to soften and the flavors to mellow.
